Brothers
by cookiesandcream91
Summary: Siblings are our partners and rivals, our first friends, and our first enemies - Erica Goldblatt Hyatt. GaaIno, one-sided KankIno


Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto

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**1.**

_Your brother is always the first male friend you will have in your life. - Ritu Ghatourey_

"And that's how the female brain works sometimes." Kankuro commented, saking a sip of his water.

Across from him sat the Kazekage with a somewhat confused look on his face. It was past seven in the evening and the brothers were having their dinner in the small restaurant they usually ate at whenever Temari wasn't around or hadn't felt like cooking. Because of their frequent visits to that restaurant during those times, the head chef and owner always made sure to have the same table ready for them. The head chef, a proud man who boasted about his work, always made sure to create brand new options for the Kazekage himself.

Having dinner without their sister or anybody else familiar with them around gave Kankuro the opportunity to be more open with his brother, especially when his brother had questions regarding social behaviors with women. The specific woman they were talking about, of course, was none other than their sister Temari. She had arrived from the Hidden Leaf village two days ago and ever since then, her mood had been sour. Gaara had become concerned and wondered if she was attacked, even though nothing in her report suggested that she was attacked during her time. Kankuro, being the expert at this of course, knew that it had to do with the Nara shinobi.

After some investigation (Gaara still had to figure out how Kankuro even got this information while being many miles away), Kankuro found out that Shikamaru hadn't been around Konoha at all during Temari's stay, which made her feel sad as she had previously told him that she would be visiting the village. Shikamaru had been pulled into a last minute mission the day Temari arrived to Konoha, thus of course not allowing any time for them to briefly interact.

"She'll get over it, though." Kankuro said, taking a bite out of his food. "She always does. I say give her a few more days and she'll be back to her normal self."

"It's interesting how the mood changes so...quickly." Gaara commented, which caused Kankuro to chuckle.

"That's how women are. One second they are happy, the next they are upset. But don't worry about that, when the time comes and you're in Shikamaru's shoes, I'll be there to guide you through that mess!"

Gaara raised his eyebrow at him, not sure whether he ever wanted to be in that man's shoes.

**2.**

_You are not my friend, you are my brother, my friend. - Aroslaw Jarzabowski_

"What a drag..." Shikamaru muttered under his breath, earning a glare from his blond teammate.

"What did you say?"

"Nothing." Shikamaru said.

Ino rolled her eyes at him as she stared at the bouquet of flowers in his hand. She had personally selected the flowers herself and given them to Shikamaru for him to give to Temari as an_ I'm sorry for not telling you that I was going to be away on a mission even though the mission was last minute and I had no time to tell you_.

"Make sure you hold them right!" she scolded him. "The pedals are going to start falling off if you keep holding them like that."

Letting out a tired sigh, Shikamaru held the bouquet straight. He looked ahead as they began to get closer to the gates of Suna.

Although he wouldn't show it, part of him was glad to be seeing Temari again, even if she was still mad at him. But a bigger part of him wanted to get rid of the bouquet. Before leaving Konoha for their three-day journey, Ino had placed the bouquet in his hands and made him carry them ever since. As no one was around the gates of Konoha, he told himself that it was safe to leave Konoha with the large bouquet in hands. Nonetheless, Naruto and Kiba's laughs were heard from behind and before they were able to interrogate him on why he was carrying flowers, he had ran out.

"We're finally here!" Ino exclaimed excitedly.

Shikamaru saw Kankuro and Gaara standing by the gates, but no Temari. Clearly, she was more mad than he thought.

Kankuro had a smirk on his face as he watched the two approach. "I'm flattered Shikamaru, but you really didn't have to."

Shikamaru groaned irritatedly. "Where's your sister?"

"At home, but good luck having her open the door for you." Kankuro said with a laugh, watching as Shikamaru dragged his feet through the gates and into the village with the bright bouquet in his left hand.

"That bouquet should do the work." Ino said proudly with a wink. "Women love to be given flowers after a fight."

"Even when they're gone?"

"We're never wrong." Ino said, hands on her hips.

Kankuro laughed at her response and she giggled too. She really did pray that the bouquet would help Shikamaru, or else her poor friend would have to find another solution.

As she placed her bangs behind her ear, she caught the small amused smile the Kazekage was giving her and she felt her face feel warmer. Giving him a smile back, she wondered if maybe the heat was getting to her. Realizing that this was the first time she actually noticed Gaara, she couldn't help but wonder if he had always been good looking.

**3.**

_Brothers don't necessarily have to say anything to each other – they can sit in a room and be together and just be completely comfortable with each other. - Leonardo DiCaprio_

"One month? And she's okay with that?" Kankuro asked.

Temari nodded as she leaned against her fan.

Kankuro smiled as he continued his work with his puppets. It's been two days since the Leaf kunoichi had arrived to Suna, and the puppet master had to admit that he enjoyed having her around. She brought a different type of energy to the room. She wasn't shy to voice her opinion on something, something Kankuro liked about her. He remembered how she complained about the heat and sand right in front of his brother, not caring that his brother happened to be the Kazekage. Despite her complaints about the heat, she always kept a smile and he couldn't help but notice the way her blue eyes glowed.

"She must really like what she does to stay in this village for a month, considering she's no big fan of the heat and sand." Kankuro said.

"Actually, Gaara offered her a temporary position in the hospital for a month, with the possibility of extension. And she accepted." Temari said.

Surprised at the statement, Kankuro turned around in his chair and looked at his sister. The thought of Gaara talking to Ino surprised him, considering he was mostly quiet around her and Kankuro had feared that maybe he was scared of her.

However, Ino staying for a month in his village brought a smile to his face. Already Kankuro had places in mind where he could take her to. He just had to make sure to thank his brother for the opportunity of having the boisterous kunoichi stay longer.

**4.**

_A sibling may be the keeper of one's identity, the only person with the keys to one's unfettered, more fundamental self.- Marian Sandmaier_

"Aw come on, take a bite. It won't harm you." Kankuro said with a smile, pushing the plate towards her.

With a disgusted look on her face, Ino shook her head. She looked around the restaurant and grimaced as she watched people around them take a bite out of the salted tongues. The smell was enough to make her stomach do backflips. She pushed back the plate towards him and crossed her arms in front of her chest.

"I rather deal with the old perverted men who constantly flirt with me." Ino said, watching as Kankuro began to laugh across from her while Gaara raised a barely existing eyebrow.

"I thought women liked getting men's attention." Kankuro teased.

Ino made another cringing face. "Not when the men look like they're one-hundred years old and bald with no teeth." she said, taking a quick glance at Gaara as she continued. "Only those we find attractive are the ones we really want attention from."

The corner of her lips rose as she watched Gaara's eyes soften as he looked at her. She mentally high-fived herself while feeling butterflies in her stomach.

"Interesting," Kankuro said as he rubbed his chin. The way she reacted whenever he teased her made his heart beat faster. "And whose attention do you really want?"

He saw her face turn red a bit while she pushed her bangs back behind her ear. Kankuro watched her anxiously, wondering what she would respond to that. Part of him was nervous that she would mention someone's name...someone that wasn't him.

"Hmm, I guess you'll have to find out another time." Ino replied, casting another curious look at Gaara. Although it was quick, she caught the way he narrowed his eyes at her while keeping that small smile of his. She was glad that Kankuro was sitting next to his brother as she didn't want the puppet master noticing the quick meaningful glances her and the Kazekage were having.

Clearing her throat, she looked back at Kankuro. "Is there anything else to eat? I am not eating tongues."

"I'll speak with the chef. I'm sure he can think of something." he said before getting up and walking towards the counter, making a mental note to himself to start writing her letters. Ino Yamanaka was a romantic, and he knew that something like love letters would grab her attention. She had about three weeks left in Suna, and Kankuro knew that he had to act fast if he hoped that something more could be sprung from their friendship.

**5.**

_I don't want to come off like the jealous brother who wasn't getting the attention, but it was like no one was really into me anyway. I wasn't really a priority. - Jack Osbourne_

Groaning, Kankuro removed one of the strings from the puppet. Although it was very late, Kankuro's insomnia had won and he figured what better way to spend the night than fixing one of his puppets. Part of him wondered if he should instead finish the letter he had started for Ino, as it had been days since he had written something. But he was stuck on how to finish it and had wanted to get his sister's opinion on it.

There was a soft knock on his door and he turned around, eyes growing wide as he saw Ino standing there. He gave her a quick smile while his brain quickly reminded him of the letter sitting casually on his desk. Swiftly, he stood from his stool and placed the letter in his drawer.

"What are you doing here so late?" Kankuro asked. He glanced at his clock and saw that it was already past midnight.

He saw her fidget for a while, a nervous look on her face, before her attention landed on the puppet lying on his table.

"What are you doing?" Ino asked as she walked closer to the table.

"Adding more weapons to it." Kankuro said, "But it's becoming more challenging the more enhancements I make to it."

"This is impressive though."

Her comment made him something in his chest burst with happiness. He turned to her as he saw her lean closer to the puppet, examining the different components of it. Although purple, he noticed how her outfit had changed. She wore a purple crop top with purple shorts. As she bent down to examine something, he saw how her hair rolled to the side, giving him a view of her back. His eyes traveled to her waist before landing on her-

"This is really cool," Ino said, standing up straight and turning towards him. "I don't think I can ever be this detailed with something so complex."

"It's not that hard, actually." Kankuro said. Now that he had her in his room, he figured that it was the opening opportunity to initiate some moves. "I can teach you."

Ino gave him a smile. "I would like that!"

Kankuro wanted to cheer in triumph, but remained his usual self. He didn't want her to think that he was weird or anything.

"Oh, before I forget!" Ino said, clapping her hands. "What does your brother like?"

The question confused him and he scratched his head. "Um...what do you mean?"

Ino tapped her chin, and Kankuro saw that she was becoming nervous. "Well, he's been so nice to me ever since I first came here. He's always paying for my breakfast and lunch every time we go out to eat. I want to give him something for appreciation."

The information hit him hard. His chest compressed but he remained the same, not wanting to startle her.

"To be honest, I'm not sure what he likes. He's always busy working." Kankuro responded, making sure to keep his voice level.

Ino sighed in disappointment before shrugging one shoulder and smiling. "Oh well, I'll figure something out. I'll just ask Temari tomorrow. Good night!"

"W-Wait," he said as he watched her walk out of his room. "It's very late. Let me walk you home."

Ino gave him another smile. "Oh, don't worry about me! Besides, Gaara is going to walk me home after he's done with his shower."

Kankuro was speechless and all he could do was nod while watching her leave his room. Feeling as if the earth was suddenly falling on his shoulders, Kankuro sat down, resting his elbows on his knees. The puppet next to him left ignored, his mind began to wonder about many things. The first thing that had taken him by surprise was the fact that she and Gaara were having breakfast and lunch together. It all made sense now as to why Gaara had started leaving the house much earlier in the mornings. The next thing that had surprised him was the fact that somehow, she knew that Gaara was in the shower and would be taking her back to her guest room. Did that mean that she had been with Gaara this whole time under the same roof as him?

Getting up, Kankuro walked towards his door and closed it, not wanting anyone else to freely enter his room again. Once it was closed, he strode towards his bed and laid down with his back facing the ceiling. He took a deep breath, sleep finally hitting him as he recited the same words in his head over and over again.

_No, I am not jealous of him…_

**6.**

_Siblings seem to bring out the best and the worst in one another._

He had gone through a lot, and it was one of the reasons why Kankuro had supported him while he worked hard to gain his village's trust and become their Kazekage. Despite the horrendous acts of violence Gaara had inflicted upon his village and elsewhere, Kankuro had helped his brother get through the guilt and become the responsible young man to lead their village. Watching his brother lead meetings and prove the old councilmen wrong made him a proud older brother. Even after having Shukaku extracted, his brother had not stopped from working harder in becoming even stronger for his village. Overall, Kankuro had always felt as the proud older brother.

But lately, he had been feeling something different, and it was bothering him. It was bothering so much that he was contemplating on even meeting Ino and his brother for dinner. Ever since she had told him about wanting to get Gaara something, his mind kept thinking about the possibilities of her and his brother being in a relationship. Kankuro felt confused. Speaking to women on a social level, specifically romantic level, was one of those things that Gaara had zero experience in. Not only that, but his younger brother hadn't felt interest in anyone. Therefore, the fact that Gaara was suddenly taking Ino out for breakfast and lunch surprised him, and he wondered how it had happened. Did he show up at her door one day and ask her to have breakfast with him? Or did she drag him to breakfast and he just enjoyed it?

"You're still here?"

Kankuro turned around as he saw Temari exit her room.

"I thought you would be with Gaara and Ino by now?"

"Got busy with some things." he lied.

Temari watched for a second before shrugging. "Alright then. I'll be out with a few friends, say hi to Ino for me."

Kankuro nodded and left their home. The walk to the restaurant wasn't long. He strode past multiple businesses and homes. Those who were familiar with him called out his name and waved. As the village progressed under Gaara's rule, many of the villagers had started greeting him and his siblings whenever they would spot them walking around. Nonetheless, years ago, that hadn't been the case. Even though he and Temari weren't the ones responsible for Gaara's attacks on the village, the fact that they were blood related to him had been enough for the citizens of Suna to avoid them as well.

After about ten minutes of walking, Kankuro saw the wide windows and entrance of the restaurant. From what he could see, everything seemed as usual; the same usual people eating and socializing inside. He noticed that the table that he and Gaara usually occupied was empty. His immediate assumption was that maybe they weren't having dinner at all that day, however his eye caught the movement of something purple by one of the corners of the restaurant and he immediately spotted them.

Not bothering to walk inside, Kankuro stood there motionless with his hands dug deep inside his pants, watching the scene that was taking place inside the restaurant.

Gaara and Ino were sitting next to each other in a booth. But it wasn't the fact that they were sitting next to each other; it was more of how close they were sitting next to each other that hurt Kankuro. She sat between Gaara and the wall, and Kankuro could see how his brother's left arm rested casually on the booth behind her shoulders. He could see how Gaara's eyes were fixed on her as she tried something new that had been brought out for her. After taking a bite of whatever she was eating, she turned to Gaara and gave him a nod, and Kankuro could see that she liked whatever it was that was in front of them. Gaara's lips moved, and although Kankuro couldn't make out what he was saying, he knew it must have been something that the Yamanaka liked because he saw her smile even wider and lean back against the booth, her head resting very close to Gaara's shoulder.

Kankuro knew that he should leave as the scene in front of him caused pain in his chest again. But part of him wanted to stay in order to see if his brother and the leaf kunoichi had something going on.

Narrowing his eyes, he watched as Gaara grabbed his own chopsticks and grabbed a piece of meat while the arm that rested casually behind Ino finally moved down and rested behind her lower back. Although Kankuro couldn't see well due to the table in front of them, he could see Gaara's hand resting very close to her hip. Kankuro took a deep breath as he saw Ino pick up her chopsticks, grab some food off her plate, and direct the chopsticks towards Gaara. The Kazekage shook his head and said something before placing his hand over hers and directing the chopsticks towards her mouth. Ino stuck her tongue out at him playfully before eating the food. Even after she took her bite, Kankuro could see how his brother continued to have his hand over hers.

Appetite gone, Kankuro turned around and walked away, the pain in his chest almost becoming unbearable.

**7.**

_The sibling relationship is more complex than nearly any other, a mixture of affection and ambivalence, camaraderie and competition. - T.J. Wray_

Kankuro could smell the aroma the moment he opened the door to the house he shared with his siblings. The smell brought a smile to his face, immediately acknowledging the fact that Temari was cooking dinner for the first time in many months. Closing the door behind him, he walked towards the kitchen and sure enough there stood Temari with an apron on stirring something in a large pot while Ino stood next to her chopping some vegetables.

"Smells great!" Kankuro said as he walked over to them.

"Thanks!" Temari said, turning around and giving her brother a smile. "Lately I've been too tired to cook, but Ino's here to help so we figured it would be nice to have a meal at home for the four of us."

Kankuro nodded while his mind immediately wondered where his brother was. He had stopped having dinner with him and Ino for a couple of days already, making up excuses that he wanted to concentrate on fixing his puppets.

The door from one of the bedrooms opened and Kankuro turned around. His brother walked out slowly, wearing black pajama pants with a black t-shirt. His face seemed more relaxed than usual.

"Told you that nap would do you wonders!" Ino said as she began to set the dining table.

The four of them sat down to eat, Ino and Temari on one side, Kankuro and Gaara on the other. As the girls talked about the latest gossip, Kankuro ate quietly. Typically, he would be striking some type of conversation with his brother. However, upon noticing the glances his brother was giving to Ino, he decided it was better to just remain quiet.

8.

_It's a lot easier to be angry at someone than it is to tell them you're hurt. - Zakiya Caswell_

It was straightforward mission, yet they had their guard up. The mission was to meet up with one of the councilmen who was travelling back to Suna from a neighboring village. Even though the important figure had his own escorts, the random attacks from stronger opponents had shown to be quite a match for them.

Kankuro had led the three-man team with Ino by his side. She had volunteered for the mission, stating that she could be there to aid the old councilman in case he got injured. Even though he felt nervous with having her be part of his rescue mission, Kankuro chose not to let that get to him. Part of him was glad that she had volunteered to assist.

The councilman and his escorts hadn't been too far from the hidden sand village, making it easier for Kankuro and his team to catch up with him. Nonetheless, they were surrounded by three shinobis. Taking out two of his puppets, Kankuro immediately led the attack against their enemies while Ino ran towards the councilman, who stood frozen in fright.

Based on the wrinkles in his face and how soft his voice sounded, Ino could tell that the man was well into his nineties, maybe even older.

"I-I th-think I may have fractured my hip." he told her, placing his hand on his left side. Nodding, she crouched by his side and began to check on him.

The battle around them continued, with Kankuro already taking out one of the enemies. As she started her healing though, she felt a pinch by the back of her leg and turning around, she noticed a snake had bitten into her. Letting out a screech, she hesitated to grab the snake. It was one of her fears.

"Here, I got it."

She remained calm as Kankuro grabbed the thing by its head and, as gently as possible, lifted it up before stabbing a kunai into it.

"It belonged to one of the dead guys over there." Kankuro said, briefly turning around to look at the bodies of the enemies lying on the ground. "You OK?"

"I'm f-fine! I just really don't like snakes."

Kankuro gave her a small reassuring smile before turning his attention to the team. "Start checking them to see what village they come. Ino, how's the man doi-shit!"

Leaping forward, he caught the collapsing girl in his arms. His eyes were wide as he stared down at the unconscious girl.

"Crap…"muttering underneath this breath, Kankuro picked her up and then directed orders to the team. "Suna's not too far from here. Help the man get back safely. I'm going to have to bring her back to the village asap."

Watching the men nod at him in agreement, Kankuro ran back to his village, using his chakra to give himself more speed.

Running through gates and towards the hospital, he could feel the perspiration coming from her skin and he knew that the snake which had bitten her must have been poisonous.

"I need assistance here!" Kankuro yelled as he ran inside the hospital.

"Bring her in here!"

One of the medic ninjas lead him towards a room in the back.

"You can put her down here."

Doing as instructed, Kankuro placed the unconscious Ino on the bed as the medic ninja and two others gathered around.

"Seems like poison. Do you know what poisoned her?"

"A snake bit her not too long ago. It belonged to one of the shinobis we were fighting."

"Let's begin the extraction then." the man said.

Kankuro watched as the medics concentrated their chakra over Ino's bare stomach and as their efforts intensified, the kunoichi began to groan in pain as she tightly held on to the sheets beneath her.

"It's OK, I'm here." Kankuro said, grabbing Ino's hand in his for her to hold on tightly. The act seemed to calm her down as her body stopped arching from the discomfort. "I'll always be here," he said, unable to stop himself from pushing her bangs away from her forehead and planting a soft kiss against the smooth skin.

**9.**

_It hurts to have someone in your heart that you can't have in your arms._

Kankuro found it humorous that he had poked fun at the Nara boy almost three weeks ago for walking around Suna with a bouquet of flowers, since now it was his turn to walk throughout his village and towards the hospital room with a bouquet of flowers. It had been a couple of hours since Ino had the poison extracted from her body. He had wanted to stay by her side until she woke up, but the doctor told him to go home and rest upon seeing the disheveled state he was in.

Approaching her door, he noticed that it was left ajar. Walking silently towards it, he noticed a familiar gourd resting by the corner and already that familiar pain roused in his chest. Stopping by the doorway, Kankuro watched from the small crack as his brother held Ino's hand while she pushed the covers away from her body.

"I need to stretch."

"You need to rest." he heard Gaara say but by watching, he could tell that she wasn't going to listen.

She was no longer wearing her typical purple outfit that she had on earlier today. Instead, she wore a white hospital gown.

As her feet touched the cold floor, with Gaara's help, she stood up and faced the red-haired kage. He let go of her hand but circled his arms around her waist, pulling her closer to him.

Seeing as their foreheads touched, Kankuro knew that it was best for him to leave. But he needed to know what was going on between his brother and Ino. Even if it hurt him, he needed to know the extent of whatever relationship they seemed to have started.

"Stay…" Gaara said lowly.

Ino touched the tattoo on his forehead with the tip of her fingers, tracing the lines slowly. "Gaara, you know I have to go back eventually…"

Selfishness hit Kankuro as he mentally smiled at the idea of her leaving. With her gone, things could go back to how they were. However, her next words shattered that idea immediately.

"But I can stay here another month...so we can give what we have more time to blossom. I'm just worried about how I would be able to freely come here often with Tsunade giving me missions in other villages."

"I'll handle your Hokage. She won't be an issue." Gaara said, putting his hand behind her head.

Ino chuckled. "Good luck with that. You know she can be pretty scary."

"I'm not scared of her."

"Good."

The painful confirmation Kankuro needed soon happened right in front of him as their lips met in a long kiss, Ino's arms wrapping around Gaara's neck as he pulled her even closer to him.

Mind going numb, Kankuro didn't bother about keeping quiet as he dropped the flowers on the floor and walked away.

**10**.

_It is when we hurt that we learn. - Steve Maraboli_

Kankuro knew that Temari had figured it out. But maybe it was for the best. Maybe it was time he spoke with someone about it.

"I think I know what's bothering you." she said after walking into his room and closing the door.

Kankuro didn't reply, but allowed her to continue.

"You think I haven't noticed? Kankuro, you're not yourself anymore."

She was right, he wasn't the same anymore. But how was he supposed to be the same now that the girl who haunted his mind laid in his brother's arms.

"It has to do with Gaara and Ino." Temari finally said, watching as her brother finally turned around and let her see the pain in his eyes.

"So what if it does?" he spat. "He's the Kazekage, and she returns his feelings. Nothing I can do about it."

Temari sat on a stool opposite of him. "I know it hurts, Kankuro. Trust me. But you can't let it get to you. Gaara is your brother. He asked me the other day if something was going on with you. I think he's getting worried about you…"

"Tell him he doesn't have to. He already has a village and a girl to take care of."

"Cut the pettiness," she scolded him. "I know you're hurt, but he's your brother. You've had his back and he's had yours! Gaara's been through a lot, but he's never complained about it. He deserves this opportunity to really know what love truly is. Neither of them are rushing through this, but they are taking it seriously. And I know that while that happens, Gaara's going to need his older brother by his side for all of the questions he will have."

He knew that she had a point. And as much as it pained him to see Gaara with the one person he fell hard for, he did want to be there for him as an older brother. His brother was reaching the age of seventeen. It wasn't too long ago that he had first asked him if sexual desires and love were connected.

"I want to be there for him… and I know he's going to have a lot of questions… But it just hurts Temari." Kankuro admitted, shaking his head. "How can I help him when all I think about is her? I never knew this shit could hurt so much … Am I wrong for wanting to stay away from them until ...I don't know...this right here goes away?" he said, patting his chest.

Temari shook her head. "There's nothing wrong with how you're feeling right now, and there's nothing wrong with needing some space from them. All I ask from you is to not throw away the bond you and Gaara created. You'll get through this, and then you'll look back and it won't hurt anymore."

"She's here for another month," Kankuro said, "I can't just forget and move on with her here. I'm thinking of going on a long mission...maybe for a couple of months...to help me keep my head straight and move on."

"By yourself?"

"Why not?"

Temari wanted him to think about such a request. However, she understood the need to get away. The need to go somewhere else and restart fresh.

Getting up, she walked over to her brother and gave him a hug. "You know you have my support. Please take care of yourself."

**11.**

_You have to create little pockets of joy in your life to take care of yourself. - Jonathan Van Ness_

"For how long?"

Kankuro shrugged. "Maybe a couple of months... I've been thinking about it for a while and I think it's the best option for me."

Gaara gave him a confused look, teal eyes narrowing. "Kankuro, what is going on?"

_I wish I could tell you, brother… But you have something special that I don't want to ruin…_

"Personal reasons," he replied instead. "Some time away will do me good… and I can come back as a better Shinobi… To better help the village."

"Does Temari know?"

"Yeah. She thinks it'll be good for me."

Kankuro watched as his brother stood up and walked around his desk before standing in front of him. He looked at him for a while before realizing that Gaara's hand was extended and taking a deep breath, Kankuro held it and gave it a firm shake.

"Take care."

**12\. **

_"Don't be dismayed at goodbyes. A farewell is necessary before you can meet again. And meeting again, after moments or lifetimes, is certain for those who are friends." -Richard Bach_

It was very early in the morning, but Kankuro figured it was the best time to start heading out. It was a thirty minute walk towards the gate, but he didn't rush. Instead he took his sweet time, looking at the homes and streets surrounding him. A sense of homesickness began to settle in his chest, but it wasn't enough to change his mind. Nonetheless, he will miss his home.

"Kankuro, wait!"

A familiar voice called from behind and he stopped walking, slowly turning around as he saw Ino approaching him. His heart began to beat fast, and he wondered what she wanted.

"You're going to leave and not say goodbye to me?" she inquired, placing her hands on her hips.

_Don't make this harder on me, please… _

Not knowing how to respond, he sighed and muttered an apology. Upon doing so, he saw her face softened a bit as she took a few more steps towards him.

"Listen, I know why you're leaving. And...I'm sorry-"

"There's no need for you to apologize. I was a fool getting my hopes up. It was obvious how close you and Gaara were getting, but I refused to see it. You did nothing wrong."

"But this is your home, and you're leaving because of me."

"I'm leaving because I need to figure out my purpose. All these years I've been supporting Gaara and sticking by him. Now, I need to figure out what I want."

"I understand," Ino said before pulling him into a tight hug.

Kankuro hugged her back, savoring the moment. "Does Gaara know?"

"He doesn't."

"Then let's leave it like that. I want him to be happy. Take care of him, Ino."

They pulled back and she gave him a smile. "Will do. And please take care of yourself."

"Thanks." he said, turning around and resuming his walk towards the gate, already feeling the anticipation of leaving things in the past.

_"All for one and one for all_

_My brother and my friend_

_What fun we have_

_The time we share_

_Brothers 'til the end."_

* * *

Author's Note: Thank you for reading! Please review & let me know what you think. How do you think Gaara will react once finding out that his brother was also in love with Ino? I purposely wrote this so that Gaara wouldn't know.

Please review!


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